I was surprised to here Sarah Palin say that if elected she would be an advocate for children with special needs. How can this be? She is a conservative who has far right leanings. Her core belief is that we need smaller government and less social programs. She holds up her four month old child and says vote for me! I have a disabled child! I will advocate for you! All the while as governor of Alaska she has slashed health care and special needs education.

Those of us in the disability community know that when the democrats are in control, kids with special needs get help, when the republicans are in control, kids with special needs lose the services that the democrats fought so hard to get. It’s a constant battle for parents of kids with special needs just to get health care and an education for our kids with disabilities. Palin is sure not an “advocate” I want and she is sure no Hillary who is a champion for education and children’s health care.

I’m thankful to live here in the liberal state of Massachusetts where we already have universal health care and one of the best education systems in the country. But even here in the blue state of Massachusetts we are feeling the pressures and trickle-down effects of eight years of republican control. We can not take four more years of conservatives in the white house!

For a parent of a child with special needs or an individual with a disability to vote republican is like shooting yourself in the foot. Republicans have never advocated for children with special needs and Palin is as far to the right as one can get. Don’t let her fool you into thinking she is an advocate. She doesn’t know the first thing about disability advocacy. Her baby is only four months old. She is likely still in denial. This is just another republican ploy to get McCain and Palin elected.

If you truly care about children with disabilities, take it from someone who has been advocating for three children with special needs for 15 years, VOTE OBAMA!